The present invention relates to power loaders and more specifically relates to structure for mounting the hydraulic hoses for such loaders.
Tractor-mounted loaders are usually equipped with boom and bucket or tilt cylinders which often are used to aid in attaching and detaching the loader to and from the tractor. In order to accommodate these operations, it is known to equip the loader with first and second sets of hoses that are interconnected by quick disconnect couplers, more simply called quick couplers. The first set of hoses has first ends coupled to the tractor hydraulic system and second ends defined by male quick coupler halves that are mounted to a bracket carried by the loader frame. The second set of hoses has first ends coupled to the rear ends of steel tubes carried by one of the loader arms and has second ends defined by female quick coupler halves that are coupled to the male quick coupler halves of the first set of hoses. The second set of hoses have a length permitting them to be connected to the quick coupler halves of the first set of hoses while the loader is in a location close to but disconnected from the loader mounting frame. A structure showing quick coupler halves mounted to the loader mounting frame is embodied in the Model 80 Loader marketed by Deere & Company. A structure showing loader hoses of a length for connection to an ICV mounted to the tractor in a location adjacent the loader mounting frame is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/502,071 filed on 30 Mar. 1990 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,347, issued on 14 Aug. 1992) and having the same assignee as the present application.
The hydraulic hose arrangements associated with the known tractor-mounted loaders suffer from one or more of the disadvantages of (1) having hydraulic quick couplers that are either exposed such as to be vulnerable to damage, or being tucked away where they are difficult to use; (2) having hydraulic couplers positioned such that excessive hose length is required for attaching and detaching or parking the loader; and (3) having hydraulic couplers and hoses located such that they are relatively messy in appearance and/or located where they are prone to collecting mud or other debris.